RETURNING REDSHANK

Numbers of redshank have been gradually building up in the last few weeks around the Island, as birds return from their breeding grounds. This redshank still in breeding plumage was with another 100 along the Strood Channel on Friday 26th. Also on the mud were 2 greenshank,  one whimbrel and a grey plover along with 30+ curlew and several oystercatchers.

A common buzzard drifted slowly over Ray Island from Peldon, a Mediterranean gull circled above the Firs Chase caravan site, while along the seawall were 100 house sparrows, 8 linnets and 4 yellow wagtails.

At East Mersea Point on Friday, three ringed plover chicks were seen by Martin Cock, also another older chick was seen here from another brood, and also two avocet chicks feeding on the mud.

Four brown argus butterflies were enjoying the flowering bushes such as this lavender at the Feldy View field on Friday.

Four yellow wagtails were feeding on the saltmarsh near the Firs Chase caravan site on Thursday 25th, also a kestrel hunting over the nearby fields while a common tern was resting on a buoy in the Strood channel.
A common buzzard was mobbed by gulls as it flew over Firs Chase on Thursday.

Ten yellow wagtails were also seen along the Strood on Wednesday 24th, most perching on the telegraph wires late morning, as did a kestrel. Two little grebes and a common terns were of note along the channel. A peregrine was seen flying over Feldy Marsh, heading over to Old Hall where it swooped half-heartedly down on some birds on the saltings.

Along the Pyefleet Channel at East Mersea near the Oyster Fishery on Tuesday 23rd were a greenshank, 8 avocets, 5 common terns, shelduck with 11 young, 3 marsh harriers overhead, 5 little egrets with another ten in the Colne. A yellowhammer was singing near Fishponds Wood.

Earlier on Tuesday a great white egret was seen by Andy Field flying over Langenhoe marsh before dropping onto the lagoon by Langenhoe Point. Also seen at Reeveshall were the two avocet broods of 3 and 4 young, greenshank, 60 black-tailed godwits and a marsh harrier.

A male ruddy darter was seen by Fishponds Wood in Shop Lane on Tuesday 23rd.

A whimbrel was feeding along the Strood channel on Monday 22nd, as were ten black-tailed godwits and a greenshank. A marsh harrier flew over the Peldon fields and a kestrel was over the Strood fields.

A rather faded six-spot burnet moth was feeding on some ragwort flowers in the Feldy View field on Monday 22nd. A hummingbird hawkmoth was seen feeding on some lavender. Butterflies seen here included common blue, brown argus, meadow brown, gatekeeper, ringlet, small / Essex skippers, small white, large white, comma, peacock and red admiral.

Moths were flocking to the moth trap during the muggy night of Tuesday 23rd until a thunderstorm at 2.30am meant a hurried emptying and clearing away in the pouring rain. One strikingly marked moth to make the first appearance in the Firs Chase garden this summer was this black arches.
Over forty species of macro moth were noted including pine hawkmoth and elephant hawkmoth, magpie moth, iron prominent, ruby tiger, dot moth fen wainscot and the good count of 16 tree-lichen beauties.